Bitumen Emulsion Advantages
Bitumen Emulsion Advantages Compared to Cutback Bitumen
1- Materials are heated to 150°C only one time during the production process of bitumen emulsion and there is usually no need to heat it during storage, transportation, and paving. Whereas, cutback bitumen must be heated from 120 to 160°C several times during production process, stockpiling, transferring and even for paving. Consequently, the bitumen remained after cutback bitumen breaks won’t be the primary bitumen 60-70, 85-100 or 40-50, but the result remained after the break of bitumen emulsion is exactly the primary bitumen 60-70, 85-100 or 40-50.
2– When stored in a tank, bitumen emulsion is simply required to be mixed with a steel or Teflon mixer or to be shaken daily or once in 2 days when stored in the drum to remain homogeneous. Bitumen emulsion can also be stored for six months in case it is kept between 10 to 60°C.
3– To produce bitumen emulsion no kerosene is needed, so, it is without harmful emissions while breaking and is compatible with the environment. However, cutback bitumen needs over 350 liters of kerosene. This large amount of poisonous kerosene enters to the air and the Earth’s surface, so, it is toxicant and contaminant.
4– Due to the fluidity of bitumen emulsion, it penetrates well into the surface. But due to the viscosity of cutback bitumen is more than bitumen emulsion, one has to add kerosene or gasoline to reduce viscosity. This process contaminates the environment too.
5– Bitumen emulsion is applicable in ambient temperature but cutback bitumen must be heated to 160°C that means the loss of thermal energy and fuel.
6– We can apply bitumen emulsion on wet (not full of water) surfaces, unlike cutback bitumen which needs a completely dry surface.
7– Bitumen emulsion breaking process needs just 2 to 15 hours, however, cutback bitumen needs 48 to 72 hours to break.
8– Due to bitumen emulsion has ionic structure, it sticks to the aggregates or surface, but, cutback bitumen is neutral and just acts as a coat.
9– For Prime Coating by use of bitumen emulsion, we use the paving ratio of 1.1 kg/m^2 and for Tack Coating, this ratio becomes 500 to 800 g/ m^2. Instead, for Prime Coating and Tack Coating using cutback bitumen, the ratios of paving is 1.2 to 1.8 kg/m^2 and 500 to 800 g/m^2 respectively.
10– While mixing bitumen emulsion with aggregates, the aggregates must be completely washed and clean without dust. We must not use 0 to 3 mm aggregates in order not to create coagulation either.
11– Since bitumen emulsion doesn’t need the temperature over 60°C in contrary to cutback bitumen, its storage, transportation, and paving has no danger of flammability.
12– Cold Mix or Cold Asphalt is only producible by using bitumen emulsion.
13– The total cost of using bitumen emulsion is about half of the cutback bitumen.
14– In conclusion, cutback bitumen can be completely replaced by bitumen emulsion that helps “Protecting Environment, People, and Property”.
